Reference library · TV budgeting
TRP (Target Rating Point)
TRP (Target Rating Point) is a rating point measured against the campaign's defined target audience rather than the total population. One TRP equals 1% of that target audience reached by a single exposure, so a schedule delivering 280 TRPs has generated the equivalent of 280% cumulative coverage of the target group across all spots. Planners set a TRP goal for a flight and, together with the cost per point, use it to size the budget needed to buy it.
Formula
Worked example
Target audience: Women 25-54, 2.5 million individuals in the market. Campaign goal: 280 TRPs on national TV. CPP quoted by the sales house for this audience: €320 per point. Budget = 280 x €320 = €89,600. That budget buys the equivalent of 280% cumulative reach-and-frequency coverage of the 2.5 million target women, not of the total population.
How it is used
Planners derive the TRP goal from required reach and average frequency (TRP is roughly Reach% x Frequency) using planning software, then get a CPP quote from the media owner for that exact audience definition. Multiplying the two gives budget directly; dividing budget by CPP works the other way when spend is the fixed constraint. The recurring mistake is treating CPP as flat across the whole volume: premium inventory sells first, so CPP rises as TRP volume climbs, and a budget built on the CPP of the first few points understates the true cost of the full flight.
The common mistake
The most common error is applying a CPP calculated against one target-audience definition to TRPs bought against a different one.